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(updated 2007.6.16) |
The Stanley Residents Association put down its roots at Stanley in the 1960's when it was still a small fishing village. Right from the beginning, organizing dragon boat races was the main project of the Association, as it is now. In the 70's the Association gathered enough credits to convince the Government to grant land to builda two-storey Club House at Stanley Bay (near Murray House). The Association has grown and developed over the years, with more recognition from the society for its hard work and contribution. The dragon boat task group was reformed and expanded, and it was registered as the Stanley Dragon Boat Association since 2001. In the same year, the Association was allowed to lease more government land at Stanley Main Beach to build a proper dragonboat training base. As such, Stanley has been able to take an even more positive role in promoting the sport of dragonboating.
Over the years, the Association has endeavored to promote recreational, sporting and social service activities in the community. For example the Association provides discount for youth and volunteer groups at Stanley in all regattas, and makes regular donations to the Hong Kong Sea School. Recently we had held orchestral performance, dancing, table tennis and Tai Chi classes in our working agenda. We also hold free dine for the elderly and sight-seeing tours. We are trying to provide more variety of activities.
Stanley Bay waterfront
Stanley Residents Association Club House next to Tai Wong Temple. (click for map)
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Stanley Residents Association
Address: 96, Stanley Main Street, Stanley, Hong Kong
Tel:(852) 2813 0564, 2813 2586
Fax:(852) 28135704
Website: www.dragonboat.org.hk
Email: stanleydragonboat
ymail.com
Chairman: Mr Alson Wong
Executive Secretary: Miss Connie Cheng
Office Bearers ( Name List 2009)
40 years of Dragon Boat Racing at Stanley
Stanley has long been an important settlement for fisher folk and dragon boat racing has always been a very popular way to celebrate the annual Tuen Ng Festival.
In the late '60s the local races started to attract the interest of expats living in the Stanley area and the event we know today was born. The Chinese teams always dominated the event so to make the races fairer for all in 1975 an expat division was added followed shortly after by the introduction of a Ladies' Competition.
The early races were originally held in Stanley Bay facing Tin Hau Temple. However, to accommodate the ever-increasing scale of the event, the Championships are now run from Stanley Main Beach with competitors and spectators enjoying themselves in a wonderful party atmosphere.
The diverse nationalities of the teams competing remain a unique feature of the Stanley International Dragon Boat Championships. The event holds the record for having the highest competitor turnout and is the largest one day dragon boat event in the world. Having earned a worldwide reputation the event was listed as international event by the International Dragon Boat Federation, the sport's governing body.
The Championships are organised by the Stanley Residents Association on a low-budget-positive-return principle, so most of the work is done by volunteers. Revenue raised from the entry fees and donations are used to cover all the expenses of running the Championships, ordering new boats and maintenance with the surplus used to subsidize community service and promoting sports and recreation activities in and around Stanley.
For more information go to Heritage Those Day
Our Dragon Boat Training Base at Stanley Main Beach
Stanley Dragon Boat Assn now owns the largest boat storage rack in HongKong.
We self-designed and built the rack with its lifting device. It can stack up to 4 layers of dragonboats and can accommodate 36 boats in total. The rack, together with storage and canopy facilities, was first installed in April 2006. In May 2007 the base underwent the first extension project. A steel viewing platform that can seat 100 people was built. This is a important new chapter in the history of the Association. During the Warm-up Races on 27 May 2007 it was first used as the Race Control Center with very positive outcomes.
Since 2001 when the Government officially grand us this new piece of leased land, business and hardware just grow more dramatically. Year 2007 is a mile-stone. Besides structural changes at the training base, and a world-record of 208 teams competing in one single day, this year we also procure 6 more second-hand boats for practice, and two new boats for racing. As such we own the largest fleet in the territory - in total 43 boats ( 42 medium-sized racing boats, one big-sized one to hold 50 people), all built with traditional teak wood structure.
Stanley Main Beach has long been regarded as the cradle for dragonboaters. Changes and healthy growth of the Training Base in the past few years provide even better soil for this mission and vision to be consolidated.
See location map / photo album of the base